Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 1st, 2015 3:00PM

The alpine rating is moderate, the treeline rating is moderate, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Persistent Slabs and Deep Persistent Slabs.

mike.koppang, Alberta Parks

Kananaskis.

We are seeing a slow improvement in stability but human triggerred avalanches are still very possible. Watch for thin weak areas as you move into treeline and above.

Summary

Confidence

Good

Weather Forecast

Flurries are forecast to cross the region over the next few days but we are not expecting to see much accumulation over the next 24hrs.

Avalanche Summary

Some new sluffing out of steeper terrain.

Snowpack Summary

Not much has changed in the last while. The winds have recently spiked with the arrival of the warm temperatures. Some snow has been redistributed, but it seems this is more pronounced at lower elevations. The persistent layers are still the prominent feature in the snowpack. The Dec 13th rain crust is down 20-30cm's at 2200m. The mid pack is giving us the strength in the snowpack. It is consistently dense and bridging the weaker deep layers. The bottom layers are now one thick layer of facets and depth hoar.

Problems

Persistent Slabs

The Dec 13th Crust seems to disappear around 2200m. Watch for windslabs overlying this crust in and around this elevation band

Caution in lee and cross-loaded terrain near ridge crests.>Be very cautious with gully features.>

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South, South West.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 3

Deep Persistent Slabs

Avoid thin or variable snowpack areas especially in Alpine terrain.

Be aware of thin areas that may propogate to deeper instabilites.>

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

2 - 4

Valid until: Jan 2nd, 2015 2:00PM